My cat had 3 kittens 8 days ago and just had 3 more!!!

We had a stray show up about a month ago. She wa definitely pregnant and just looked so pitiful. We started feeding her and she has pretty much not left our porch since. She is very skiddish but has gotten a little better and let's us pet her occasionally. 8 days ago we awoke and she was giving birth to the 3rd kitten in the nesting box we had made for her. All 3 were stillborn. We buried the poor kittens and tried to give her as much attention that she would allow.m Since then we wondered what could have happened but we didn't know her background. We thought that was all of her kittens and we could never feel her belly to check. She still seemed really huge. We came home yesterday to find her curled up and nursing 3 adorable and seemingly healthy kittens! This is 8 days after the first 3! I have never heard of this happening. Is this normal? Is there anything I should do?

Hi @jollycat87  

Yes, it does sometimes happen. Maybe the first 3 kittens were very premature and didn't make it? I'm glad to hear the new 3 seem healthy. If they are all nursing then they should be OK but you could get some KMR just in case you need to feed them. Unlikely as Mum is already nursing them, but just in case.

Another thing you could do is weigh the kittens on a kitchen scale every day at around the same time. They need to be gaining weight every day, the first sign of anything going wrong is little or no weight gain.

Take a look at these articles.

http://www.thecatsite.com/a/premature-kittens

http://www.thecatsite.com/a/hand-rearing-kittens

http://www.thecatsite.com/a/post-birth-complications-in-cats

http://www.thecatsite.com/a/spay-and-neuter-your-cats

Good luck with the new babies, keep us posted on how everything goes.

jollycat87 said:

We had a stray show up about a month ago. She wa definitely pregnant and just looked so pitiful. We started feeding her and she has pretty much not left our porch since. She is very skiddish but has gotten a little better and let's us pet her occasionally. 8 days ago we awoke and she was giving birth to the 3rd kitten in the nesting box we had made for her. All 3 were stillborn. We buried the poor kittens and tried to give her as much attention that she would allow.m Since then we wondered what could have happened but we didn't know her background. We thought that was all of her kittens and we could never feel her belly to check. She still seemed really huge. We came home yesterday to find her curled up and nursing 3 adorable and seemingly healthy kittens! This is 8 days after the first 3! I have never heard of this happening. Is this normal? Is there anything I should do?

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I agree with Nora-chan.

Yes, this may happen.  WHAT exactly happened depends on, and please tell us!

Did the first 3 stillborne did they looked premature? Hairless, rather thin?

If so they were surely premature, but the next batch were delivered in their own proper time.

So this is essntially one litter, where 3 happened to be deliverd premature, but she had a pause of 8 days, and delivered the rest in their proper time.  Hopefully all healthy and everything well and good.

If the first 3  saw nice, mature all haired and well done, BUT sorrowfully dead,   it was a case of two different litters.   This happens too, although the typical  time between is 3 weeks apart.

Not very common but not unique.  With any luck, both litters may be delivered healthy and well.

One of my neigbours had a kitten from such a second litter.   The first litter was healthy them too, but the farmer did what the farmers commonly do with their barn cats - "took them away".

But when the second litter did come, he recognized this was something special, and allowed them to live.  Ad Maiorem Gloria Dei.

Good luck!

Please come with reports, and any further questions you need!

Be sure the babies stay warm, and be sure the mama kitty gets wet food and plenty of water while she's nursing. Any way that you could get them all inside? You run the risk of her taking her babies & hiding them somewhere outside otherwise. They would be safer & healthier in the house. Mama Kitty might appreciate it too. A closet would be good. You can then socialize the kittens and find them good homes eventually, and get the mom spayed as well. There are so many strays out there! Please keep us informed. And good luck!

So im ot a re no to update my original post, so I'm going to give an update in a reply. She had another kitten!!! This makes 7 all together and the 4th to be born over a week after she gave birth to the first 3. I'm in shock about this. They seem to be doing great and the mommy is doing great too. We are definitely going to keep a close look on them. Thanks for the caring and helpful replies.

Oh, my goodness! Seven over a week! She's had a very unique birthing experience. Good luck!

jollycat87 said:

So im ot a re no to update my original post, so I'm going to give an update in a reply. She had another kitten!!! This makes 7 all together and the 4th to be born over a week after she gave birth to the first 3. I'm in shock about this. They seem to be doing great and the mommy is doing great too. We are definitely going to keep a close look on them. Thanks for the caring and helpful replies.

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Happy the 4 are OK!

But please tell us, how was the first 3 stillborne?  Were they visibly premature, hairless and thin, OR  were they hairy and round as kittens usually are?